2021 Susannah Dowling, Moved to Baltimore 2022

Name: Susannah Dowling
Preferred email address: susannah.dowling@gmail.com
Preferred phone number: 843-271-3337
Best time to contact: Anytime
Street: 24 Warwick Pl
City: Asheville
State: NC
ZIP: 28804
HOME LIFE: A. HOME LIFE
A 1. Residence: a. House
A 2. Duration: c. Less than 1 year
A 3. If you rent, do you have permission from your landlord to have a dog?: b. Yes
A 4. If you rent, please list name and telephone number of landlord: I go between the rented house in Asheville, NC and a house I OWN in Baltimore, MD. I’ve been back and forth since the beginning of COVID. I do expect this to change in the future when I will eventually return to Baltimore full-time. But for now, it’s city house, mountain house, for me!
A 5. Please list the names and ages of household residents including yourself: Myself – 36yo/f
Joon – 6yo/f/spayed Spinone Italiano
A 6. Please list the names and ages of frequent visitors, including children: no child visitors, no frequent visitors due to COVID!
A 7. Do you provide childcare in your home.  If yes, what are the ages of the children:: no
A 8. If a family member does NOT want an Airedale Terrier, why?: They are not ready for or capable of working with such a strong-willed, high energy breed!
SAFETY: B. SAFETY
B 1. What type of material is your fence made of?: f. Other (please describe below)
B 1. f. If “Other” please describe your fencing: Rented house in Asheville – Wood and concrete wall enclosure for lower tier of the yard. Upper tiers are very steep and not completely fenced b/c it is not safe for a dog to play there unsupervised.
Owned house in Baltimore – completely fenced with wood fencing most of the way, and chainlink on one border that is entirely covered with evergreen vines and shrubs.
B 2. What is the height of your fencing?: c. 5-8ft
B 3. Please indicate length and width in feet or acres. e.g. 200 ft x 100 ft.: approximately 100ft x 100ft
B 4. What is the foot surface for the dog? : a. Grass
B 5. Do you have a dog door? : b. No
B 6. Do you have a door which opens directly to the dog’s area?: a. Yes
B 7. Do you have a swimming pool?: B. No
B 8. Is the swimming pool accessible to the dog? : a. N/A
B 9. Is there a leash law in your community?: a. Yes
B 10. Is there a dog license law in your community?: b. No
Awareness: C. AWARENESS
C 1. Why do you want to adopt an Airedale?: I owned an Airedale, Benedick (Benny for short), for 12.5 wonderful years. He died December 30, 2019, soon after he became ill from hemangiosarcoma. Everything happened very quickly over the course of 3wks and he was gone. Until that point he had always been the picture of health! The teeth of a 2yr old, fit as a fiddle, mentally sharp, and handsome as can be! I’m not usually one to put any stock in dreams, but I’ve seen Benny in many of my dreams lately and whether it’s him trying to reach my from the Rainbow Bridge, or just my mind and heart opening up to another Baire, it’s something. I’d like to bring another Baire back into my home.
C 2. What do you know about Airedales? What qualities appeal to you?: 12.5yrs of experience with the truist dale there ever was. Goofy, stubborn, smart, loyal. I miss the curls and the dark deep eyes. I love the sturdiness and might in that teddy bear package!
C 3. Is this your first Airedale Terrier?: b. No
C 4. Are you aware that Airedales need to be clipped at least 3 times a year?: a. Yes
C 5. Is anyone in your household, including frequent visitors, allergic to dogs?: b. No
C 6. Are you aware that Airedales often pose a clean house challenge with muddy footprints and sloppy wet beards?: a. Yes
C 7. What kind of temperament would best suit your household? Check all that apply.: d. Loves to walk, run or hike, f. Protector of the house – barks loud , g. Patient and tolerant of kids , h. Able to be one of several animals in our home or in our friend’s homes
C 7. j. If “Other” please describe: Must be good with other dogs. My 6yo female Spinone has a soft temperament and can be shy of other dogs. She went through a serious grief period after losing her big brother. They had a wonderful big brother/little sister relationship and were very playful together. I hope she can find a similar playful connection with another dale.
Care: D. CARE
D 1. What is the name of the person who will be the primary caregiver?: myself – Susannah Dowling
D 2. Do you or do other caregivers have any physical limitations that would make it difficult or impossible to run after a loose dog or pick up a 50-70 pound dog? Explain.: no
D 3. How many hours will the dog be alone daily?: no more than 5hrs.  I’ve been working from home/remotely for the last 15months, so my Spinone has had constant company! When I do go back to the office, I will have a sitter come midday for walks and/or play dates.
D 4. Describe how the dog would spend a typical workday or weekend at your home. Where will the dog stay when you are at work or out of the house? : Right now, work days are spent with my Spinone, Joon, at my feet/under my desk or sitting next to my desk chair! The back door stays open so that she can go outside as she pleases to harass squirrels as needed. We take a leashed neighborhood walk midday.
Weekends are adventure time! I am an avid day-hiker, and so is Joon. At least one weekend day is devoted to hiking. We explore mountain trails anywhere from 4-8miles in length, usually with human and 1 or 2 doggy friends. After hiking we typically find a nice brewery/restaurant with outdoor seating (there are TONS in the Asheville area) so that we can all enjoy some rest and refreshments.
D 5. What areas of your home or yard are off limits for your dog? : Off limits? What does that mean?
D 6. What activities would you like to share with your dog?: Hiking, gardening (my last Airedale was an outstanding digger!), playing with friends and other dogs, riding in the car, swimming in calm waters, playing fetch.
D 7. What will you do if your dog gets lost? : Find them. Posts on Nextdoor, facebook, Pawboost, Petfinder urging others to share within their communities; notify HomeAgain (or whoever their microchip company is); calls to local shelters and veterinarians; posters all over town; and also probably a lot of crying???
D 8. What dollar amount will it cost annually to take care of your dog? : Anywhere from $1,500 – $10,000. Low end estimate to cover annual vet visit (roughly $150-300 depending on dog’s age) and food/treats/toys (about $75-100/mo). High end for all of the wonderful emergency unknowns that could come up!
D 9. Will you obedience train your dog? : a. Formally with a trainer
D 10. Will you use a dog crate?: b. No
D 10. a. If yes, describe the times or reasons you would use a crate. : I have used crates for puppy training in the past, but do not continue to crate my dogs after they are housebroken/safe to be left for short periods of time. I am not looking to adopt another puppy, so hopefully this will be a different scenario! If a young/adult dog was not able to handle being alone in the house without chewing/destroying things, I’d first try to make one room in the house a safe zone for them (free of anything ingest-able/dangerous). If that did not work, I would be open to using a crate for training and safety purposes. They would only be crated if I were away from the house as a safety precaution.
D 11. Will household members support and care for the dog?: b. No
D 11. a. Describe their support for the dog: No other household members. I recently ended a relationship with a partner of 1yr. He had 2 older dogs and we had very similar views on how to care for our pack. I would never share a household with anyone who did not love and support my animals the same way I do.
D  12.  How will your dog be taken care of when you are away for business or vacation?: b. Pet-sitting service
D 13. Is there a spot already reserved in your home for an Airedale?: g. Other (please describe below)
D 13. g. If “Other” please describe: everywhere
Pets: E. PETS
E 1. Do you currently own or live with any other animals?: a. Yes
E 2. Please describe your pets, including the type of animal(s), are they spayed/neutered, and their ages, and your previous pets, including the type of animal and breed, how long you had them, and what happened to them.: PAST: Benedick, aka “Benny” – June 26, 2007 – December 30, 2019. I picked Benny up at 8wks from his breeders, Janis Jeffcoat & Karen Gunter, just outside of Orlando, FL (I was living in St. Augustine, FL at the time). Benny was the most perfect Airedale there ever was. I was 22yrs old with a college degree and no job when I got Benny. When he left me, I was 34yrs old, earned 3 more degrees, and had developed a stable career as a Nurse Practitioner. I couldn’t have done any of it without him. He had started to show signs of aging in his last years and was taking carprofen for mild arthritis. He was otherwise a healthy and happy boy until December 2019. He had a sudden change in functioning one night with lameless, confusion, and incontinence. He recovered the next day and was back to his usual goofy self. But 1wk later it happened again. We did several tests over the next couple of weeks, but weren’t 100% sure what was going on. Finally, a well-timed vet visit and abdominocentesis confirmed a bleed and we knew he had a hemangiosarcoma. I’d known it was a possibility and had already weighed out the options. At 12.5yrs old I did not want to put him through an invasive surgery, just to spend a few more months in recovery mode, not having fun. If he couldn’t play fetch for the tennis ball, life would not be worthwhile. We made the decision at that vet appointment to let him cross the Rainbow Bridge. He ate eggs and bacon that morning and played fetch for his tennis ball. I know he must have been in pain, but he never let me see it. He was just so happy to be with me.
CURRENT: Joon – 6yo/f/spayed Spinone Italiano. I’ve had Joon since she was 8wks old. As described above, she was heartbroken and went through tremendous grief after losing her big Airebaire brother, Benny, in December 2019. She had never known life without him and was completely lost when he died. Benny and Joon used to run each other in circles in the yard, teasing each other with toys in a game of “catch me if you can.” She was always quick to drop the toy for him, but it didn’t stop her from starting the game!
E 3. Do your pets get along with other dogs?: a. Yes
E 4. Are your animals up to date on their shots and vaccines?: a. Yes
E 4. i. Please provide details of your animals’ shots and vaccines and any medical conditions they may have.: We are pro-vaccine! Joon gets every recommended vaccine at the time it is recomended. She has gained a little extra weight since the passing of her big brother and the coinciding COVID pandemic, but is otherwise healthy.
E 5. Name, address and phone number of your current vet. : Animal Hospital of North Asheville
1 Beaverdam Rd
Asheville, NC 28804
828-253-3393
I give my consent to Airedale Rescue Group to contact my Veterinarian to verify the care of my household animals, past and present.: Yes
E 6. Name and phone number of your current groomer. : Benny had the BEST groomer ever! It was like going to daycare – he got to see all of his friends and play with them all day! My best friend and I would coordinate our grooming appointments so that her Goldendoodle, Flynn, could hang out with Benny. When I got Joon, I would send her too, even though she doesn’t really require professional grooming the same way Benny did.
Hair off the Dog
Baltimore, MD
410-522-0050
I give my consent to Airedale Rescue Group to contact my groomer to verify the care of my household animals, past and present: Yes
E 7. What brand of dog food do you feed? : Annamaet
E 8. What brand of heartworm preventative do you use; how often do you use it?: Heartgard Plus, monthly
E 9. What brand of flea and tick preventative do you use; how often do you use it?: Nexgard
E 10. Do you give your dog(s) any vitamins or supplements? If yes, please explain. : Solid Gold Sea Meal Immune support
Handy Hound Snout Screen
I started giving these to Joon b/c her nose is susceptible to being dry and flaky. This combination seems to do the trick!
E 11. Have you ever had a dog that ran away or escaped from your home or car? Please explain.: No
E 12. Have you ever had a dog hit by a car? Explain. : No.
E 13. Under what circumstances would you give up a dog?: Only if I were terminally ill.
E 14. Have you ever had to give up a dog? Please explain your experience. : No.
Preferences: F. PREFERENCES
F 1. Interested in specific Airedales available for adoption on our site? Please list their names.: Interested in the male Airedale recently found in Black Mountain, NC. He looks like he has been a stray for a very long time.
F 2. Which sex are you interested in?: b. Male
F 3. Are you interested in a puppy, young adult, or older animal? Select as many as apply. : b. Young adult
Questions or comments: G. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
Terms and Conditions: H. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Home Visits: I. Home Visits
I 1. Do  you consent to home visits before and after the adoption at a time convenient to your schedule?: a. Yes
References: J. REFERENCES
J 1. Enter the name and number of a personal reference who does not live with you and is not a relative.: Julia Dluzen – 717-503-7566
J 2. Have you ever adopted an Airedale from any rescue group before?: b. No
Return Guarantee: K. RETURN GUARANTEE
K 1. Do you agree, if in the event you CANNOT keep the Airedale you adopt that it will be returned to the Airedale Rescue Group? : a. Yes, I agree to return to the Airedale Rescue Group
Adoption Fee : L. ADOPTION FEE
L 1. Do you agree to the $400 adoption fee?  The adoption fee is due on the day of transfer of the dog to you. Failure to pay the fee will result in ARG submitting claim through the legal system to obtain the adoption, veterinary, grooming and transport fees. : a. Yes, I agree to pay the $400 adoption fee
Consent: M. CONSENT
By submitting this form, I certify that the information I have provided is true and accurate. I am physically, emotionally, and financially able to care for an Airedale. I understand that Airedales require both physical and mental stimulation to thrive and I will provide both. I understand that Airedales that come into rescue may not have been trained or socialized properly and may need extra time, patience, and care to adjust to a new environment. This may include the need to attend pet obedience classes to help build a better bond with the new dog in the home. I understand that proper food and veterinarian care can be costly, and I am able to meet these needs. I agree that Airedale Rescue Group may check my veterinarian, groomer and personal references, as well as, my landlord, if applicable. Home visits will be conducted prior to and following an adoption to ensure the safe-keeping of the Airedale.   ARG reserves the right to decline adoptions. ARG reserves the right to reclaim any dog who, in our judgment, appears neglected, abused, unkempt, or unsafe. ARG reserves the right to reclaim any dog for non-payment of the adoption fee at any time.: I hereby agree, and consent
Signed:: Susannah Dowling
Email: susannah.dowling@gmail.com